Thame United were back in action in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One, as they travelled to Hertfordshire to take on seventh place Welwyn Garden City.

This was the teams first competitive start in 21 days after having four postponements in that time. Captain Mark Riddick was missing through Illness, Ollie Hogg is out with a knee injury and Greg Hackett was not available, this meant there were debuts for new signings Ethan Lack in midfield and Ty Deacon upfront.

On a cold afternoon in Hertfordshire, Welwyn started the game strongly forcing 3 consecutive corners the third of which saw the ball played into the box and after a scramble the Welwyn number 11 gets his foot on the ball to poke it into the net 1 - 0 after 10 minutes As the first half continued Welwyn were dominating the game and had created a number of chances, with keeper Matty Crowther called into action several times. It was fair to say the first 20 minutes belonged to Welwyn and probably could have been more than one goal up. However Thame slowly started to grow into the game and were asking questions of the home teams defence. On 25 minutes, the visitors had an equaliser The ball was played over the top on the left hand side which found Brayden Daniel, in behind the the Welwyn defence, he beats the full back and crosses to find Ty Deacon in the box to tap home.

Shortly after Thame thought they had the lead, Harry Alexander picked up the ball on the edge of the right had side of the box, ran through on goal, his shot looks to be going in but somehow the keeper gets a touch to divert it round the post. Thame took the lead on 29 minutes, another run in behind the right full back from Brayden Daniel, his cross is met by an unmarked Dan West, who slides in and knocks the ball into an empty net. The visitors were in the ascendency pushing the home side back and causing them problems and had chances to score again, but the half ended with Thame in the lead and good value with a dominate display in the last 25 minutes of the first half.

It was a much more even start to the second half Welwyn were threatening but Thames corner count was rising but lacking a finished product. On 59 minutes Welwyn had a big chance to draw level, indecision in the Thame defence saw a back header fail to reach keeper Crowther who brought down the Welwyn striker who was running onto the ball. The referee pointed to the spot. However the keeper made amends with a fine save to his right, and getting up to save the rebound.

Moments later another chance for the home side but another good save from keeper Crowther, and as the half went on the home side were starting to dominate play and were looking likely to score the next goal, and that came on 74 minutes. Welwyn were awarded a dubious free kick just inside the Thame half, the ball was launched into the box and unchallenged the Welwyn number 9 had a free header into the roof of the net.

The final 10 minutes was end to end, both teams creating chances, with the visitors unlucky not to take all three points, with Brayden Daniel braking into the box but his shot was well saved by the Welwyn keeper, then Jefferson Louis had a chance from a similar area but his shot hit the side netting. The referee added 4 minutes of stoppage time, which the home side having the final chance of the game a diving header saved by keeper Crowther.

The game ended in a 2 - 2 draw, Thame's first draw of the season and on the balance of play a fair result.

Next uo for Thame is another tough away trip to fifth place Hadley on Tuesday night,

Man of the Match
Brayden Daniel (Two Assists)

Goal Scores
Ty Deacon 25 minutes
Matt West 29 minutes

Starting Eleven

1.Matty Crowther
2.Josh Stranks
3.Leo Galpin
4.Jack Tutton
5.Fin Murray
6.Ethan Lack
7.Tom McElroy Curtis Brown 79 minutes)
8.Brayden Daniel
9.Ty Deacon (Jefferson Louis 79 minutes)
10.Dan West
11.Harry Alexander (Oscar Lucy 77 Minutes)

Substitutes
12.Jefferson Louis
14.Curtis Brown
15.Oscar Lucy